Time
by KassieMarie
Summary: It's been five years since Mai last saw him. Things have been great since SPR closed down, but the office never was rented out again. One night on her way home, Mai sees two people coming out from the old office. Mai runs to avoid them, especially HIM. Though, completely avoiding him won't be the easiest. Especially when he wants tea. (Maru a little bit towards the end)


Time

 **A/N: Hi guys! Long time, no see! I have been super busy with school lately, but I miss writing! So in order to get my creative juices flowing again, I'll be posting some one-shots so I can get back in the swing of things and work on** _ **This isn't Arkham**_ **and** _ **A Guard Dog, A Demon and a Ghost**_ **. I will never abandon those!**

 **So, without further ado, let's get started!**

Rain softly hit my umbrella as I walked down the street. I looked ahead and saw a familiar building. As I approached the building, memories flooded back. I moved my black umbrella slightly out of the way as I looked up at the old office. The door is still closed as a for sale sign hangs on it.

It's been five years since SPR closed down. I can't say that I've been distant with the gang, in fact we've all been able to keep in touch.

…

Monk and Ayako finally decided to start dating and just got married last year. They're expecting a baby soon. Though it's still early, I have a good idea that they're gonna have a baby girl.

John is still with the church. Every so often, myself and Masako help out with the children at the church orphanage.

Masako retired from TV life, though she still uses her abilities whenever she gets asked to. Surprisingly enough, she calls me to help when she needs use of my skills. We've become real good friends since SPR closed.

Masako is also engaged to Yasu. Don't ask me how that happened, but it did.

Yasu finished university and now works at a research company that deals with the paranormal.

I still do some ghost hunting from time to time with the gang, but my day job is a little less glamorous. I'm working hard at a tea house to save enough money so I can earn my masters in psychology with a focus in parapsychology at the University of Edinburgh.

Since learning of my powers, I've wanted to study them more and occasionally helping Yasu with his research has made me want to study the paranormal myself. I guess you could say being involved with SPR during high school really made me understand what I wanted to do in life.

…

I looked at the old office a few more seconds before turning to leave, when I noticed the light was on. Confused, I stood there a few more moments as the light turned off and the door opened. My eyes followed the figure that emerged from the office as it traveled down the stairs and towards a car. It was a tall figure, and right behind was another figure. The first one at least had what appeared to be a white shirt on under a long coat, but the second one was dressed in all black.

I felt my heart start to pound. I can't be him. It just can't. He left. End of story.

I turned on my heel and walked away from the old office as fast as I could before HE could notice me. I didn't want to see him.

I'm not mad at him for leaving. No, I understand why he needed to leave. What I can't forgive him for is the last words he said to me when we saw him off at the airport.

…

" _I'm not lying to you, Naru. I know what I feel. I don't love your brother. I love you."_

 _Naru shook his head._

" _Mai, you do not love me. You are confused. You can't possibly love me."_

" _Why not?"_

" _Because you fell in love with the Naru in your dreams. You fell for his smile and his caring nature. I do not smile and I certainly do not have a caring nature like he did. You fell in love with my brother, Mai."_

" _I did not! He's not the one who saved my life numerous times! That was you."_

 _Naru turned away from me._

" _I only did because I did not want to handle the paperwork that comes with a death on a case."_

 _He turned his head over his shoulder as he said,_

" _Besides, I am not the kind of man you should fall in love with. I'm heartless and cold. I only care about science and that's it. I never cared about you, nor will I ever care for you the way you want me to. You should just forget about me, Mai."_

…

I've never felt more painful words in my life. He left me standing there, in pain, as he boarded his plane back to England.

If he says he'll never care for me, then I might as well forget about him. But how can you forget about the one person who changed your life? How can you forget your first love?

To be honest, I'm still not sure. All I know is that I truly hate him. Not just for leaving, but for saying those things about himself and lying to himself so he won't be hurt. I could see it in the way he walked that saying those things to me hurt him. But he has too much pride to show it.

…

"MAI! Guest at table two!"

"On it!" I said as I tied my apron around my waist and pulled my now shoulder-blade lenght hair into a high ponytail.

It's been three days since seeing the old office. I haven't walked that way to the train station since, just in case I run into him. Though, working at a tea house that's a five minute walk from it, I should have guessed he would show up one day. I just wasn't expecting that day to be today.

I saw him sitting at the table, reading the menu without a care in the world, and immediately wanted to get someone else to cover this table. But I need the money. I took a big breath in and walked calmly over to the table.

"Good morning," I said in my most cheerful voice. "What can I get you today?"

He looked up from the menu and looked directly into my eyes.

"A cup of Earl Grey tea will be all."

I nodded and turned away to get him his order. I knew he was watching me as I walked away, but I stayed focused on my job.

He stayed there all day, wanting refill after refill of tea. Eventually he did order some Miso soup. He was the last customer when it came time for closing, so naturally I had to be the one to tell him we were closing.

"Excuse me," I said as I approached the table, "we are closing now."

All he did was nod as he took out his wallet and placed some money on the table before walking to the register to pay for his bill. I held in the eye roll long enough for him to leave the building.

I sighed as I started to clear the table. I picked up the money he placed on the table and stuffed it into my apron as I finished cleaning up.

…

"Night everyone!" I said as I left the tea house.

The night air was cool against my face, but it was a welcomed feeling. It helped my face feel less hot after my co-workers started grilling me about the guy at table two. It took all the remaining strength I had to not zone them out. All they could talk about was how gorgeous he was and how they wished they could have been the one to wait on his table.

Even after five years, he can still get the girls to talk.

I leisurely walked towards the train station, but before long I heard a voice call out my name. My heart rate speed up as his voice hit me. It amazes me that after hearing him speak today and it not affect me, but now it does.

I turned my head and looked at him standing a few feet behind me, hands in his pockets, hair in his eyes. I could see his cold indigo eyes looking straight at me through his black hair.

I stayed silent as he walked closer.

"It's been a while," he said.

I noded as I turned to face him. "It has."

He stopped right in front of me.

"Too long, actually."

I looked up and all I could see are his eyes looking down at me.

"How have you been, Mai?"

I take a step back. "Fine."

His eyes follow my movements. He almost looks disappointed that I backed away.

"What brings you back to Japan?" I ask him.

"The office."

I slant my head, confused.

"You came back because of the office… Why? Don't you have one back in England?"

"Yes, but… Working under BSPR means working under my father and doing things only when he wants to do them. I finally was able to get permission to open an official BSPR branch office here."

"But why come back to Japan? I'm sure there are other countries out there that have better opportunities for cases."

He nods as he steps closer to me. "That may be true, but why start over again when I already have connections here?"

"What makes you think we would want to come back or to help you?"

"Because I know you all. Even after leaving, I am sure you all continued to work together on cases. I am positive that you all would like a steady paycheck from ghost hunting."

"I actually am happy with the occasional case and with my job at the tea house."

"I am sure that you are, but I know that you are wanting to do more, Mai."

I look down at the ground. He's not wrong. I do miss being able to help out people on a regular basis.

"Come back and work with me, Mai."

My head pops up. "Work with you?"

He nods. "I have seen some of the research you and Yasuhara have done and published. You definitely are not the dumb girl I knew five years ago."

I narrow my eyes at him. "But it looks like you are the same cold hearted, narcissistic, tea loving workaholic."

He sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. He looked at me as his face softened and my world froze. Did he… Did he just let his barrier down?

"Dr. Davis?"

"Please, do not call me that Mai. It does not sound right coming from you."

"Fine. Shibuya-san, are you alright?"

"I'm sorry."

My eyes grew wide as he took one of my hands into his.

"I'm sorry for the things I said the last time we saw each other. And I'm sorry for it taking five years to do this."

"Sh… Shibuya-san…"

"Mai, I know what I said five years ago was not the best words to say. Especially since I never meant them."

"I know you didn't mean them…"

"But I still hurt you."

I simply noded as my eyes looked at his hands around mine.

"Saying I never cared about you, nor ever will is something that has never sat right with me since."

We both were silent for a few moments before he spoke again.

"Mai, please, come back to SPR."

I looked up at him. "Why should I?"

"Even though I believe you deserve someone better than me, I want to have the chance to show you that I care."

He lifted my hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on the top of it. I smiled a little at his actions.

"That and I don't want to have to find a new assistant that can make excellent tea and not completely fawn over me and my looks."

I withdrew my hand from his grasp.

"You… narcissist!"

He smiled at me.

"Would you want me any other way?"

I smiled back at him.

"No. I wouldn't want you any other way. Even after all this time,... Naru."


End file.
